One woman’s quest to slow travel Europe and create a simpler, more European lifestyle at home
My Story
Hi, I'm Lori, a writer, travel and lifestyle blogger, lover of vintage décor and soft pinks, small-home advocate and designer, slow travel aficionado, and the recent owner of a house in France. As a part-time expat and digital nomad, I divide my time between Portland, Oregon; the countryside of Brittany, France; and traveling the world.
To create this lifestyle of having a beautiful and comfortable homebase — in two countries — coupled with the freedom to travel, didn't require a ton of money. It did require a shift in my priorities, a drastic downsizing, and a few innovative ideas.
I started Bringing Europe Home to explore my own evolution living a more streamlined and satisfying lifestyle and to inspire others who want to simplify their lives, slow travel Europe, and live a life that reflects their true selves.
Living like a local while traveling
As a homebody who loves to wander, I’m equally happy nestled in my cottage by the fireplace as I am living out of a carry-on bag for months. I was never a backpacking, hostel-staying traveler. I appreciate the comforts of home, whether I’m in my own place or an Airbnb.
When I travel, I enjoy feeling like a local and experiencing what it’s like to actually live in the place I’m visiting — without any of the complexity of moving to another country. That's what slow travel is all about — experiencing a destination in a more mindful way. Slow travel is a richer and more adventurous journey. And staying a while in one place is one of the most cost-effective ways to travel.
I know everyone can’t travel for months, but if you have only a week’s vacation, I encourage you to go to one location and immerse yourself in the culture. Instead of racing to see every tourist attraction, take time to see a place through the eyes of a local. Talk to the people, shop at the markets, ride mass transit, sit in a café and observe the world around you. You’ll be rewarded with a deeper, more meaningful and more memorable experience.
Embracing small-space living and decor
As a recovering packrat, I share my lessons learned from drastically downsizing from a 2,400 square foot 1915 craftsman house to an 1,800 square foot 1927 house to a brand new 700 square foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) I designed and built. By downsizing to my ADU, I created a new income stream from renting out the main house, which gave me the freedom to travel. Living in a smaller home is liberating. There’s less to maintain, less to clean and more time for travel and fun. I share my love of small space décor and design ideas I’ve incorporated in my 700-square-foot cottage in Portland, Oregon as well as my 880-square-foot house in the French countryside that I am currently renovating.
Bringing Europe Home
To me, a European lifestyle is a simpler way of life with more time and money to do what you love. Traveling through Europe has inspired me to embrace more European values: to shop for fewer, but better-quality clothes and items for my home; to downsize to smaller, more sustainable homes; to appreciate small-space design; to work less; and to play more (or at least have a better work/life balance). I hope I can inspire you too.
Please subscribe below and join me on a journey to explore Europe in the slow lane and live a simpler and more sumptuous European lifestyle every day of our lives.
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Disclaimer
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